19th century Budweiser labels?

[mogle]

I am hoping someone here can help: I'm trying to locate a copy of the label that appeared on the first bottles of Budweiser in 1876. At that time, Carl Conrad was corking the beer in Champagne bottles and I believe the label's text included the word "Champagne."

I hasten to add that I don't want to BUY one of the labels; I only want to know its exact wording. I've searched google and come up empty-handed. Can anyone help?

Thanks!
Maureen Ogle

[chazwicke]

Try emailing your question to the ABA (American Breweriana Association) at:

brewerina1@earthlink.net

www.americanbreweriana.org

or perhaps the BCCA (Brewery Collectables Club of America- formerly Beer Can Collectors of America) at:

www.bcca.com

There is also the ECBA (East Coast Breweriana Collectors)

All great collecting clubs with wide knowlege of all beer related subjects.


Welcome to Reelbeer.com by the way!

[mogle]

Chazwicke: thanks for your reply. I've already tried the places you suggested---and came up empty-handed there as well. But thanks for taking the time to post!

Mogle

[chazwicke]

How about going right to the source? AB I am sure has a historian or archives where they might be able to help. Good Luck.

[mogle]

Imagine me falling out of my chair laughing!!!!! HO HO HO.

Yes, the company has a historian and an archive. I've been there and met him. He wants me to go away---far, far away. He also refuses to help with my question. Why? Because, he told me, AB owns the copyright on the label and he's sure the lawyers would never allow me to quote from it.

Never mind that I only want to verify the presence or absence of one word on this particular label. Never mind that the label in question was never copyrighted and never, at any time, owned by AB. Never mind that........oh, never mind.

You get my drift: AB refuses to cooperate with this or any other aspect of the book I'm writing. (Never mind that I'm writing a straightforward history of beer in America and NOT a smear job on AB......) But yes, to answer your question: I did try to get the information from the folks in St. Louis. Nothin' doin'........

[chazwicke]

AHA! Your book sounds interesting. Will it be all inclusive from the settling of the country up to current? Tell us more. The BCCA has a lending library which may be of value to you during your research. Are you a member of any of the breweriana Clubs? I am suprised that you found them of no help. They have "want ad" sections in their publications and perhaps you might post your question there.

[mogle]

Well, I can try the breweriana groups again--no, I didn't try their "want ads," but will do so.

The book is AMBITIOUS BREW: THE STORY OF THE IMMIGRANTS AND ENTREPRENEURS WHO INVENTED AMERICAN BEER (forthcoming, Harcourt Press, 2005). It opens with Phillip Best arriving in the US in 1844 and will end with the micro-brewing "revolution" of the 1980s. I've written two-thirds of the book (thank god......)(it's been a long haul).

I only need the Bud bottle info for a tiny point in on chapter--still, it would be nice to know. So maybe I'll keep trying.

Again, thanks for your interest and help!

[chazwicke]

I'll dig around too. Although I'm no AB fan I know ther are collecter who specialize in AB stuff. I hope you included Christian Heurich and Robert Portner in your book. Heurich brewed in Washington DC and Portner had a huge operation in Alexandria VA and at one time had more railroad cars than AB. He also was one of the first to use refridgeration. The grandson of Christian Heurich is Gary Heurich who owns Foggy Bottom brewing.
Let us know when your book is published. it sounds interesting.

[mogle]

Unfortunately, I won't be able to include every brewer in book--there were some three thousand of them in the late 19th century, and very little information about most of them. People are always emailing me asking to include one brewer or another--I wish I could, but I can't. If I did, I'd end up with a thousand page book that no one would want to read! But thanks for the info! I appreciate it.
Maureen